MARGAO: The murderous assault on notorious criminal Anwar Shaikh at Fatorda on Tuesday was borne out of inter-gang rivalry over issues concerning illegal sand extraction as well as narcotics trade, police investigation has revealed.
Police sources said that Shaikh had plans of venturing into the illegal sand business, a proposition that stood to harm the prospects of those already in the clandestine trade. Vale D’Costa, resident of Tilamol, Quepem, a notorious criminal, who has a number of cases booked against him for illegal drug trade under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act wanted to take revenge on Shaikh whom he suspected to have tipped off the crime branch leading to his (D’Costa’s) arrest in one such case nearly two months ago.
Some of the accused in the case have interests in the illegal sand business activities as well, particularly in villages along the Zuari in South Goa, police sources said. A thorough interrogation of the accused is likely to reveal deeper links in the illegal sand trade in South Goa, police sources added.
Shaikh, in his complaint recorded by the police, had mentioned the names of D’Costa and Hornekar, besides Imran Bepari of Santa Cruz and Vipul Pattari of Khareband, Margao, apart from six unknown persons.
While Hornekar was arrested by the police soon after the assault on Shaikh on Tuesday, Pattari was nabbed on Wednesday. Hornekar has been remanded in five day-police custody. Fatorda police are on the lookout of the other accused.
Shaikh alias Tiger Anwar was shot at and assaulted at near the Ambaji junction, Fatorda, Tuesday afternoon. Shaikh, who has sustained bullet injury in his thigh, and serious injuries on his knee, head and right arm, is now stated to be out of danger, police sources said.
Shaikh was assaulted with iron rods, koita, danda, while one of the assailants shot at him.
Fatorda police has booked a case against the accused under charges of attempt to murder as well as for forming unlawful assembly and rioting with deadly weapons under several sections of the IPC as well as under the Arms Act.